Pressurized storage chamber with zipper

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a pressurized storage chamber with zipper access. One embodiment of the present invention relates to providing a zipper accessed storage chamber within a pressurized chamber of an inflatable boat. When closed, the zipper will maintain the pressure in the pressurized chamber and protect the contents of the chamber from water. This chamber will provide protected storage in an inflatable boat without requiring that the size of the boat be increased in any way. The chamber may also include a pressurization independent internal liner or support structure that creates a sub-chamber within the pressurized chamber. The sub-chamber can be accessed and depressurized without depressurizing the main chamber. A protective flap may also be attached to the outside of the zipper to protect it from elements, abrasion, and debris that may diminish the capabilities of the zipper. A second embodiment of the present invention relates to a zipper accessed pressurized chamber configured to be used as a removable thwart in an inflatable boat. The thwart may include a boat attachment system for temporarily securing to a boat when used as a thwart and/or an individual attachment system for carrying the thwart as a pack or duffel bag. Various attachment systems may be incorporated and remain consistent with the present invention.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 60/616,729 filed Oct. 7, 2004.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pressurized storage chamber withzipper access. One embodiment of the present invention relates toproviding a zipper accessed storage chamber within a pressurized chamberof an inflatable boat.

2. Background

Inflatable boats have a wide variety of applications including use onlakes, rivers, oceans, etc. Inflatable boats are now designed accomplishmany of the same tasks as hard shelled boats including whitewater,shallow water, heavy loads, etc. The buoyancy of inflatable boats isaccomplished with one or more pressurized floating chambers. Theseinflatable chambers can be arranged and shaped in a multitude ofconfigurations to provide the boat with particular characteristics. Forexample, the inflatable chambers can be shaped to form a narrowkayak/canoe that is able to maneuver in tight situations. Likewise,these chambers can be used to create large rafts that are capable offloating numerous people for long distances.

One of the common problems associated with all boats is the need forprotected storage space. The size of a boat is directly proportional tothe maneuverability and weight of the boat. Therefore, if additionalstorage space is provided in the boat in addition to the necessarysitting space, the overall performance of the boat will diminish. Ifitems are left loose in the bottom of a boat, they may be inadvertentlytossed out as a result of the boat encountering a wave or ripple in thewater. Likewise, sensitive items might be damaged as a result ofexposure to sun and/or water. Therefore, there is a need in the industryfor a system of providing storage space in inflatable boats that doesnot require the expansion of a boat's dimensions.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a pressurized storage chamber withzipper access. One embodiment of the present invention relates toproviding a zipper accessed storage chamber within a pressurized chamberof an inflatable boat. When closed, the zipper will maintain thepressure in the pressurized chamber and protect the contents of thechamber from water. This chamber will provide protected storage in aninflatable boat without requiring that the size of the boat be increasedin any way. The chamber may also include a pressurization independentinternal liner or support structure that creates a sub-chamber withinthe pressurized chamber. The sub-chamber can be accessed anddepressurized without depressurizing the main chamber. A protective flapmay also be attached to the outside of the zipper to protect it fromelements, abrasion, and debris that may diminish the capabilities of thezipper. A second embodiment of the present invention relates to a zipperaccessed pressurized chamber configured to be used as a removable thwartin an inflatable boat. The thwart may include a boat attachment systemfor temporarily securing to a boat when used as a thwart and/or anindividual attachment system for carrying the thwart as a pack or duffelbag. Various attachment systems may be incorporated and remainconsistent with the present invention.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will beset forth or will become more fully apparent in the description thatfollows and in the appended claims. The features and advantages may berealized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinationsparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. Furthermore, thefeatures and advantages of the invention may be learned by the practiceof the invention or will be obvious from the description, as set forthhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantagesand features of the invention are obtained, a more particulardescription of the invention briefly described above will be rendered byreference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in theappended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typicalembodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be consideredlimiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explainedwith additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a zipperaccessible pressurized chamber in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view along lines A-A′ in FIG. 1 ofone embodiment of the interior of a pressurized chamber;

FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional view along lines A-A′ in FIG. 1 ofan alternative embodiment of the interior of a pressurized chamber;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an inflatable raft incorporating twozipper accessible pressurized chambers;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of an inflatable kayak incorporating twozipper accessible pressurized chambers;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a zipperaccessible storage chamber that includes a boat attachment system and anindividual attachment system that allows for personal transportation,wherein the figure particularly illustrates the operation of theindividual attachment system; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a zipperaccessible storage chamber that includes a boat attachment system and anindividual attachment system that allows for personal transportation,wherein the figure particularly illustrates the operation of the boatattachment system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a pressurized storage chamber withzipper access. One embodiment of the present invention relates toproviding a zipper accessed storage chamber within a pressurized chamberof an inflatable boat. When closed, the zipper will maintain thepressure in the pressurized chamber and protect the contents of thechamber from water. This chamber will provide protected storage in aninflatable boat without requiring that the size of the boat be increasedin any way. The chamber may also include a pressurization independentinternal liner or support structure that creates a sub-chamber withinthe pressurized chamber. The sub-chamber can be accessed anddepressurized without depressurizing the main chamber. A protective flapmay also be attached to the outside of the zipper to protect it fromelements, abrasion, and debris that may diminish the capabilities of thezipper. A second embodiment of the present invention relates to a zipperaccessed pressurized chamber configured to be used as a removable thwartin an inflatable boat. The thwart may include a boat attachment systemfor temporarily securing to a boat when used as a thwart and/or anindividual attachment system for carrying the thwart as a pack or duffelbag. Various attachment systems may be incorporated and remainconsistent with the present invention. While embodiments of the presentinvention are directed towards a thwart within an inflatable boat, theteachings of the present invention are also applicable to other areas.For example, creating a zipper accessible storage chamber within apressurize air mattress.

Reference is initially made to FIG. 1, which illustrates a perspectiveview of one embodiment of a zipper accessible pressurized chamber inaccordance with the present invention, designated generally at 100. Thechamber 100 includes a body 105 and two sidewalls 115 to form anexterior composed of a flexible airtight material such as a rubbercomposite. The particular material must maintain internal air pressure,withstand external impacts, and support weight while pressurized. Theexterior defines a hollow interior storage space (not viewable) on theinterior of the chamber 100. The interior storage space will bedescribed in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. Theillustrated exterior forms a substantially cylindrical shape.Alternatively, the chamber 100 could be shaped into anythree-dimensional shape and remain consistent with the presentinvention. The chamber 100 further includes a zipper 110 and a valve 107disposed on the body 105.

The zipper 110 can be opened to provide access to the interior chamber.In a closed configuration, the zipper 110 provides a waterproof andairtight seal consistent with the material used on the exterior of thechamber 100. The zipper may be any zipper that includes thisfunctionality including the YKK airtight zipper. When opened, the zipperexposes the interior to air, water, and other debris.

The valve 107 is a one-way air valve that allows air to be inserted intothe interior but prevents it from escaping. Since the exterior materialand the zipper 110 are all composed of airtight materials, the interiorcan be pressurized by pumping air into the interior via the valve 107.An optional air pump may be coupled and disposed on the interior orexterior of the chamber 100. Alternatively, the valve 107 may beconfigured to allow an individual to blow air into the interior. Thepressurization of the chamber 100 can therefore be adjusted to provide avariety of supportive functions. For example, the chamber 100 may beused as a thwart, pillow, chair, back rest, table, floating storage,etc.

Reference is next made to FIG. 2A, which illustrates a cross-sectionalview along lines A-A′ in FIG. 1 of the interior 103 of one embodiment ofa pressurized chamber 100. The interior 103 is the internal region ofthe chamber 100 defined by the shape of the exterior 105. Since theinterior 103 is accessible via the zipper 110, the interior 103 can beused to store items in the same manner as a bag. The contents storedwithin the chamber 100 are protected because of the airtight andwatertight seal provided by the exterior 105 and the zipper 110.However, in the illustrated embodiment, the interior 103 isdepressurized whenever the zipper 110 is opened to access the interior103. In addition, items stored in the interior 103 are free to movewithin the interior 103 possibly resulting in damage if the chamber 100is shaken or dropped.

Reference is next made to FIG. 2B, which illustrates a cross-sectionalview of the interior 203 along lines A-A′ in FIG. 1 of an alternativeembodiment of a pressurized chamber 200. The illustrated interior 203embodiment includes a sub-chamber 209 which can be used to store itemswithin the interior 203. The contents of the sub-chamber 209 aretherefore protected from bouncing around the interior because of thesmaller volume of the sub-chamber 209 in comparison to the interior 203.The sub-chamber 209 is pressurization independent of the remainder ofthe interior 203. Therefore, whenever the sub-chamber 209 is accessed byopening the zipper 210, the pressurization in the interior 203 isunaffected. However, when closed, the zipper 210 still protects thecontents stored in the sub-chamber 209 from water and other debris. Theillustrated embodiment also includes an optional protection flap 220that extends over the zipper 210. The protection flap 220 protects thezipper 210 from damage and debris. For example, if the chamber 200 isdragged in the dirt, the protection flap 220 will protect the zipper 210from abrasion damage and debris, which may compromise the performance ofthe zipper. The protective flap 220 is composed of a similar durablematerial to the chamber 200, which is sewn on one side of the zipper210. Alternatively, multiple zippers could be disposed one the samechamber to allow access to both the interior 203 and the sub-chamber209. This may be particularly useful for storing independent items suchas disposing ice in the interior 203 and items to be cooled within thesub-chamber 209. Likewise, multiple sub-chambers and zippers could bedisposed on a single chamber to provide further division of storageitems.

Reference is next made to FIGS. 3 and 4, which are elevational views ofan inflatable raft and kayak incorporating two zipper accessiblepressurized chambers consistent with the present invention. FIG. 3illustrates an inflatable raft 300 with two thwarts 315 disposed on theinternal region 310. The internal region 310 is surrounded by anexternal inflated region 305. The thwarts 315 are pressurized chamberswhich include zippers 317 consistent with the present invention. Thethwarts 315 can therefore be conventionally used to support passengersbut can also be used to store items. Therefore, items stored within thechambers/thwarts 315 are protected from water, which may incidentallyenter the inflatable raft 300. Likewise, FIG. 4 illustrates aninflatable kayak 400 that also includes two thwarts/chambers 415 whichinclude zippers 417 consistent with the present invention. Various otherinflatable boating configurations are contemplated and may include achamber consistent with the present invention. For example, a chamberconsistent with the present invention could be part of one or morepressurized chambers that surround the outer edge of a boat.

Reference is next made to FIG. 5, which illustrates a perspective viewof an alternative embodiment of a zipper accessible storage chamber 500that includes a boat attachment system 510 and an individual attachmentsystem 515 that allows for personal transportation. FIG. 5 particularlyillustrates the operation of the individual attachment system 515. Theillustrated chamber 500 also includes an exterior 505 and a zipper 520which provide the functionality described with reference to FIGS. 1 and2. The individual attachment system 515 may include a pair of shoulderstraps and a hip belt. The components of the individual attachmentsystem 515 may be configured to tuck within an external pocket or flapof the chamber 500. In operation, the individual attachment system 515could be used to transport the chamber 500 from an inflatable boat to aparticular land based location. This may be particularly useful forinflatable boat based overnight trips.

Reference is next made to FIG. 6, which illustrates a perspective viewof the alternative embodiment of a zipper accessible storage chamber 500illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 particularly illustrates the operation ofthe boat attachment system 510 to releasably couple the chamber/thwart500 to an inflatable boat 540. The boat attachment system may include atleast two buckles or straps that are configured to couple at particularlocations on an inflatable boat 540. In order to be utilized as athwart, it is often necessary for the chamber to be sufficientlyrestrained so as not to move within the inflatable boat 540. A boatattachment system which includes at least two attachment points oneither side of the chamber 500 will prevent the chamber from rolling andwill further prevent the chamber 500 from translating within theinflatable boat 540. The individual attachment system 515 may remainexposed as illustrated in FIG. 6. Likewise, the boat attachment system510 may be configured such that the zipper 520 on the chamber 500 isaccessible, as illustrated.

In addition, an airtight and watertight zipper could be retro-fit ontoexisting thwarts or chambers to provide the functionality of the presentinvention. A system for retrofitting an existing thwart would include anairtight and watertight zipper, glue, Velcro, a protective flap, etc.The process for retro-fitting would include cutting a slit in anexisting chamber an properly attaching the zipper. The existing chamberwould need to be composed of a sufficiently durable and airtightmaterial consistent with the properties described above. Likewise, theattachment of the zipper would also need to be sufficient to maintainconnection with the chamber at a particular pressurization.

Yet another alternative embodiment (not illustrated) may be to locatethe watertight and airtight zipper on an outer portion of an inflatableboat which would in effect convert the entire inflatable boat into thechamber. This type of pressurized storage chamber could be used inconjunction with the thwart embodiment described above or appliedindependently. This type of storage location may be necessary ininflatable boats that do not contain thwarts. Unfortunately, the loss ofpressure in an outer region of an inflatable boat can significantlyaffect the performance of the boat as opposed to the depressurization ofan internal thwart.

Thus, as discussed herein, the embodiments of the present inventionembrace a pressurized storage chamber with zipper access. One embodimentof the present invention relates to providing a zipper accessed storagechamber within a pressurized chamber. The present invention may beembodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit oressential characteristics. The described embodiments are to beconsidered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. Thescope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claimsrather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come withinthe meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embracedwithin their scope.

1. A zipper accessible pressurized storage chamber comprising: apressurized chamber including an exterior and a pressurized interior,wherein the pressurized chamber is composed of a flexible airtightmaterial; and a zipper disposed on the exterior of the pressurizedchamber such that it allows access to the pressurized interior of thepressurized chamber, wherein when closed the zipper maintains thepressurization within the pressurized interior.
 2. The zipper accessiblepressurized storage chamber of claim 1 further including a protectionflap coupled to the exterior such that it extends over the zipper. 3.The zipper accessible pressurized storage chamber of claim 1, whereinthe pressurized chamber includes a pressurization independentsub-chamber that can be accessed without depressurizing the pressurizedinterior.
 4. The zipper accessible pressurized storage chamber of claim1 further including a valve disposed on the exterior, wherein the valvecan be used to increase the pressure in the pressurized interior.
 5. Thezipper accessible pressurized storage chamber of claim 1 furtherincluding a pressurization device coupled to the exterior of thepressurized chamber.
 6. The zipper accessible pressurized storagechamber of claim 1 further including a pressurization device coupled tothe pressurized interior of the pressurized chamber.
 7. The zipperaccessible pressurized storage chamber of claim 1 further including aboat attachment system which can be used to releasably couple the zipperaccessible pressurized chamber to an inflatable boat to serve as athwart.
 8. The zipper accessible pressurized storage chamber of claim 1further including a personal attachment system that can be used toefficiently transport the zipper accessible pressurized storage chamber.9. An inflatable boat comprising: at least one pressurized chamber,wherein each pressurized chamber includes an exterior and a pressurizedinterior, and wherein each pressurized chamber is composed of a flexibleair tight material; and a zipper disposed on the exterior of at leastone of the at least one pressurized chambers such that it allows accessto the pressurized interior of the pressurized chamber, wherein whenclosed the zipper maintains the pressurization within the pressurizedinterior.
 10. The inflatable boat of claim 9, wherein the at least onepressurized chambers are configured as thwarts for use on the inflatableboat.
 11. The inflatable boat of claim 9, wherein the at least one ofthe pressurized chambers is the exterior region of the inflatable boat.12. The inflatable boat of claim 9, wherein the at least one of thepressurized chambers include a pressurization independent sub-chamberthat can be accessed without depressurizing the pressurized interior.13. The inflatable boat of claim 9, wherein the at least one of thepressurized chambers includes a valve disposed on the exterior, whereinthe valve can be used to increase the pressure in the pressurizedinterior.
 14. The inflatable boat of claim 9, wherein the at least oneof the pressurized chambers includes a pressurization device coupled tothe exterior of the pressurized chamber.
 15. The inflatable boat ofclaim 9, wherein the at least one of the pressurized chambers includes apressurization device coupled to the pressurized interior of thepressurized chamber.
 16. The inflatable boat of claim 9, wherein the atleast one of the pressurized chambers includes a boat attachment systemwhich can be used to releasably couple the zipper accessible pressurizedchamber to an inflatable boat to serve as a thwart.
 17. The inflatableboat of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the pressurized chambersincludes a personal attachment system that can be used to efficientlytransport the zipper accessible pressurized storage chamber.
 18. Apressurized thwart comprising: a pressurized chamber including anexterior and a pressurized interior, wherein the pressurized chamber iscomposed of a flexible airtight material; a zipper disposed on theexterior of the pressurized chamber such that it allows access to thepressurized interior of the pressurized chamber, wherein when closed thezipper maintains the pressurization within the pressurized interior; aboat attachment system that enables the pressurized thwart to releasablycouple to an inflatable boat; and an individual attachment system thatenables the pressurized thwart to be efficiently transported away fromthe inflatable boat by an individual.
 19. The pressurized thwart ofclaim 18, wherein the pressurized chamber includes a pressurizationindependent sub-chamber that can be accessed without depressurizing thepressurized interior.
 20. The pressurized thwart of claim 18, whereinthe pressurized chamber includes a protection flap coupled to theexterior such that it extends over the zipper.